What Is the TACHS?

The Test for Admission into Catholic High Schools (TACHS) is the standardized entrance exam required for admission to Catholic high schools within the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn & Queens. Administered once per year in November, the TACHS is the gateway for thousands of New York City 8th graders seeking placement in one of the region's prestigious Catholic secondary schools.

If you are beginning your preparation, starting with a TACHS practice test exam is one of the most effective ways to understand the test's structure and identify your strengths and weaknesses before the official exam date. Consistent practice under timed conditions closely mirrors the real testing experience and builds the stamina needed for this approximately 2.5-hour assessment.

Who Takes the TACHS?

The TACHS is designed for 8th graders in New York City, Long Island, and surrounding areas who are applying to Catholic high schools governed by the Archdiocese of New York or the Diocese of Brooklyn & Queens. The exam is administered once per year, typically in November, and a single registration fee covers applications to all participating schools — so students only need to sit the exam once regardless of how many schools they are applying to.

Families outside the New York metro area applying to Catholic high schools in other dioceses should note that those institutions typically use the HSPT (High School Placement Test) rather than the TACHS. Understanding this distinction early prevents wasted preparation time. See our comparison in the TACHS vs. HSPT section below.

Exam Format & Sections

The TACHS consists of four sections, each with 40 questions. Below is a breakdown of what each section covers:

• Reading (40 questions): Tests comprehension of both literary and informational texts. Students read passages and answer questions about main idea, supporting details, vocabulary in context, and author's purpose.
• Written Expression (40 questions): Covers grammar, mechanics, and proofreading. Questions test knowledge of sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and usage errors. Students must identify and correct errors in written passages.
• Mathematics (40 questions): Focuses on arithmetic, pre-algebra, and estimation. Topics include fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, basic algebraic expressions, and number sense. Calculators are NOT permitted.
• Ability (40 questions): The section unique to the TACHS. It tests abstract reasoning and non-verbal problem-solving — pattern recognition, figure sequences, and logical relationships. This section does not draw on academic content taught in school, making it equally accessible to all students regardless of school background.

Because the Ability section is unlike anything typically taught in the classroom, dedicated practice is essential. Our comprehensive TACHS practice test exam includes Ability section drills designed to sharpen your pattern recognition skills before test day.

Scoring Explained

Each of the four TACHS sections receives a scaled score between 60 and 100. The raw number of correct answers is converted to this scaled score, which accounts for minor variations in difficulty across different test administrations. There is no penalty for guessing, so students should answer every question even if uncertain.

Catholic high schools receive a composite percentile rank rather than a simple total score. This percentile compares a student's performance to all other students who took the TACHS in the same testing cycle. A percentile rank of 85, for example, means the student performed better than 85% of all test-takers. Competitive schools in the Archdiocese of New York often have de facto percentile cutoffs, though these are not officially published.

Score reports are mailed to families in January, after the December school application deadlines. This means students apply to schools without knowing their official scores. This is by design — schools receive scores directly and use them as part of their holistic admissions review process alongside grades, teacher recommendations, and interviews.

Catholic High Schools That Use the TACHS

Dozens of Catholic high schools in New York City and the surrounding dioceses use TACHS scores as part of their admissions process. Some of the most well-known institutions include:

• Archbishop Molloy High School (Queens)
• Cardinal Hayes High School (Bronx)
• Cardinal Spellman High School (Bronx)
• Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School (Brooklyn)
• Bishop Ford Central Catholic High School (Brooklyn)
• Holy Cross High School (Queens)
• St. John's Preparatory School (Queens)

These schools — and many others in the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn & Queens — receive score reports directly from the TACHS program. Each school sets its own admissions criteria, with TACHS scores weighed alongside middle school grades, teacher recommendations, and in some cases interviews.

To maximize your chances of admission, begin your preparation early with quality resources including a thorough TACHS exam overview that covers every section of the test in detail.

Test Dates & Cost

The TACHS is administered once per year, typically on the first Saturday of November. There is no makeup date for students who miss the exam due to illness or other reasons, making careful planning essential. Registration typically opens in September and closes in early October.

The registration fee is approximately $65, and a single registration covers applications to all participating Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn & Queens. Students do not pay per school — the fee is flat regardless of how many institutions they apply to.

Key timeline to remember:

• September–October: Registration window opens and closes
• November: TACHS exam date (one Saturday)
• December: School application deadlines (before scores are released)
• January: Score reports mailed to families and sent to schools
• February–March: Admissions decisions typically issued by schools

Because school applications are due before scores are released, students apply somewhat “blind.” This underscores the importance of strong preparation — your score is the one piece of the application you can most directly influence. Use the available resources including our TACHS prep classes guide to find structured preparation programs in the NYC area.

TACHS vs. HSPT

The two most common Catholic high school admissions tests in the United States are the TACHS and the HSPT (High School Placement Test). Understanding which exam applies to you is critical:

• TACHS: Used exclusively by Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of New York and Diocese of Brooklyn & Queens. If you are in NYC, Nassau County, or nearby areas applying to Archdiocesan or Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan schools, this is your exam.
• HSPT: Used by Catholic high schools in most other dioceses across the United States, including many schools outside New York. If you are outside the NYC metro area, verify which exam your target schools require.

The two exams share some overlap in content (both test reading, math, and language/verbal skills) but differ significantly in structure. The TACHS's Ability section — featuring abstract reasoning and non-verbal questions — has no direct equivalent in the HSPT. Students should confirm which exam is required before beginning prep to avoid studying for the wrong test.

Ability Section Tips

The Ability section is widely considered the most unfamiliar part of the TACHS for most students, and often the most anxiety-inducing — precisely because it cannot be reviewed the way Reading or Math can. Here is what you need to know:

• No academic content: The Ability section tests pattern recognition, figure analogies, and abstract logical relationships. It intentionally avoids any content tied to school curricula, creating a level playing field.
• Common question types: Hole-punch paper folding, figure classification, number series, letter series, and figure analogies are common formats.
• Practice is still essential: Even though no academic knowledge is tested, familiarity with question formats dramatically improves performance. Students who have seen figure analogy questions before are significantly faster and more accurate than those encountering them for the first time.
• Process of elimination: On abstract questions, eliminate choices that break an obvious pattern rule. Often two or three choices can be immediately discarded, improving guess probability.
• Do not overthink: Ability questions are designed to be solved quickly by pattern intuition. Students who spend too long on a single question lose time across the section.

For targeted Ability section practice, our TACHS practice test exam includes dedicated non-verbal reasoning drills that mirror the format of the real exam.

Prep Resources

Strong TACHS preparation draws on several types of resources:

• Official TACHS practice materials: The official TACHS program releases sample questions and guidance materials. These should be the foundation of any prep plan because they most accurately represent actual exam content and formatting.
• Commercial prep books: Publishers such as Barron's and Kaplan have produced TACHS-specific prep books with full-length practice tests, section reviews, and answer explanations.
• Test prep centers: Several NYC-area tutoring organizations specialize in TACHS preparation, including Ivy Bound, Learning Tree, and local tutoring centers throughout Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. Our TACHS prep classes guide covers how to evaluate and choose a structured program that fits your schedule and budget.
• Online practice tests: Digital practice tests allow students to simulate timed conditions and receive immediate feedback. Practicing under time pressure is essential because the TACHS is strictly timed.

The most effective preparation combines full-length timed practice with targeted review of weak areas. Students who take 3–5 full practice tests before the exam typically perform significantly better than those who only study individual topics. Begin your preparation with our TACHS exam overview to understand what each section demands, then move into timed practice.

What Happens After the TACHS?

After sitting the exam in November, the process unfolds as follows:

1. Apply to schools (December deadline): Each participating Catholic high school has its own application process and deadline — typically in December. Applications are submitted directly to each school, not through a centralized system. TACHS scores are sent directly from the testing program to all schools you designate on your registration form.
2. Score reports released (January): Families receive official score reports by mail in January. Scores include your scaled score per section (60–100) and your composite percentile rank.
3. School review: Admissions offices review your TACHS score alongside your middle school transcript, teacher recommendations, any required essays, and — for some schools — results from an interview or additional placement assessment.
4. Admissions decisions (February–March): Most participating schools issue acceptance decisions in February or March. Some schools send decisions in waves; others release all decisions simultaneously.
5. Enrollment deadline: Once accepted, families typically have a short window (a few weeks) to accept an offer and pay an enrollment deposit.

Because this timeline is tight and largely out of your control after the exam, the most important thing you can do right now is prepare thoroughly. A strong TACHS score opens doors — and consistent practice is the most reliable path to that score. Review the full TACHS exam overview and build your study plan accordingly. You can also explore our TACHS prep classes guide if you are considering a structured tutoring program.